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The Elbow Room Aston

B

bernidefish

Guest
I have fond memories of the Elbow Room. I would always go there on a Sunday evening, at 11pm. As I walked up the stairs, the same music would be playing every week!!!
Albert, the owner, was always about, ready to chuck out any folks who were too drunk. But there w3as plenty of leaway, I think you had to be paraletic before you were ejected!!
You could always get a steak down in the back bar, and it was scrummy!
I think the Elbow is still open? or is it? Someone let me know
bernadette
 
Hi Bernadette and welcome
Remind me where exactly the Elbow room was. I can remember the name but not the location

Jerry
 
The Elbow Room was situated two doors away from the Aston Hippodrome.
It was an upstairs "joint" excuse the pun, over Woolworths I think. I only went once with a fella who asked to borrow a pound to go on the roulette
wheel, and he lost it in a flash, I can't recall whether he paid me back.
 
elbow room

jerryd said:
Hi Bernadette and welcome
Remind me where exactly the Elbow room was. I can remember the name but not the location

Jerry
Click to expand...
The carpets at the Elbow Room were really sticky. It was like walkin through glue!!! But most of the staff had been working there for years, it was almost like a family atmosphere.
I believe that Big Albert had partners at some time in the distant past, one of whom was reputed to be Malcolm Hearne, a well known gentleman form Birmingham. Malcolm was fairly camp in his manner, but I can assure you he was very hetrosexual indeed!! Sadly he is no longer with us. Anyone else remember the Elbow??
 
I remember the Elbow Room. I never went in there mind, it's for a very different reason I recall it. In the 70's you might remember there were problems with the Electricity and industry was put on short time because of the lack of power. At the time I was working at Cago's in Burlington Street Aston, our factory was right at the back of the Elbow Room. We were working through the night to make up production, we had an old Radiogramme with lots of extra speakers wired in and it was turned up full pelt so we could hear it over the noise of the machines. The Elbow Room had the police down to us, because it was disturbing their business and they obviously didnt like it. Being SLADE fans at the time we were a bit upset about having to turn the sound down.....mind you Noddy Holder did have a big voice :oops:
 
I used to go there in the late 70's and early '80's...
I guess it was cheaper than the city centre nightclubs...
and sometimes when places are smaller, they are nicer...
Can't remember much about it though...
(there was a reason for that, I think :-[ ::) :crazy2:)
 
I'm pretty sure it's still there as I caught a glimpse of it coming from town the other day.
 

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Had some great nights at the Elbow but not much of the room. :2funny:

Used to go most Friday nights after the pub with my Sister and Brother-in-Law + a couple of mates ^-^
 
I wish I could say something about the Elbow Room but I can't I was to frightened to go in.

Oh yes I can say something, my wife worked at Woolworths next door, is that any good ?
 
elbow room

aaaaaaahhhhhh the elbow room, it did have a bad name but once you were there the atmosphere was great. i was a friday night regular along with my sisters and friend. its also the place i met my husband 12 years ago:p. so many happy memories spring to mind when i think about that club, so much so that we went for drink there last year...it wasn't quite the same but i was amazed that the same bar staff served me :D and Albert was still there. my silver membership card is still somewhere around but i think i'll stick to the memories from now on.
 
Welcome Tryder, I used to visit there in the 1970s with my Sister & Brother in Law each Friday. :)
 
Two not very good photo's of the Elbow Room, one in 1957 when it was still the Burlington Restaurant and one taken a few years later not very good quality I'm afraid.

pmc1947

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Elbow Room

Aston High Street

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The club was upstairs above the building,
between the Hippodrome and Woolworth's

The Elbow Room next to the Hippodrome,was a great club.
When I was young, not so long ago,
I always considered it 'posher' than the others.
It was owned by a tall bald headed bloke Albert
and I think his partner Malcolm Hearne,
who at the time seemed strict on membership,
although once inside the club, it was not noticable!

It was a compact club with a great atmosphere,
and as soon as you got passed the 'bouncers'
and went up the wooden stairs ,
you knew you were in for a good time,
and you could even get 'food'!
their hamburgers being real good.

Many of the local bands played here,
including Monopoly, which of course
featured Raymond Frogatt.

This is also were the great band Traffic came together.
The four musicians would often get together on stage
it was there that the idea for Traffic was formed.
With Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi eager to form a new band,
Steve Winwood agreed to join the partnership along with Chris Wood.

Great club and one that is still going strong.
 
Yes it was a small dance floor it was a bit out of town as well. Still happy memories though.
 
cant believe that apart from a couple of years living in the north of scotland i have always lived a stones throw from the elbow room and never been in it:rolleyes: think im a bit old for it now though:D

lyn
 
I’ve merged two threads about the Elbow Room into this one thread and moved it to the ‘Nightclubs’ section. There may be earlier unseen posts. Viv.
 
There is a page on the Birmingham Music Archive about the Elbow Room, along with people's comments...
www.birminghammusicarchive.com

Birmingham Music Archive

Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History
www.birminghammusicarchive.com www.birminghammusicarchive.com

I went there a couple of times in the late 60's and a few more in the mid 70's.
 
I also went there with friends quite a few times in early 70s. Just been reading the comments on the link and someone mentioned the smoke in the Elbow Room. Oh blimey, that brings back memories, the streaming, stinging eyes. Trying to dance on the small dance floor feeling like your mascara was trickling down your face. Just about everyone must have smoked in the place, smoked while drinking, smoked while dancing. Must have been dreadful for the DJs, struggling to see the labels on the records and keeping a clear voice over the microphone.

Then when you stepped outside, well what a relief. Tumbled out of there many nights. I remember we’d sit on the kerb outside, smoke a few more fags, chew the cud then head into town to catch a night service bus home. Anything to long out the night. Viv.
 
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A few clippings about the ER, I don’t remember the food at the club, don’t think we ever ate there. Went there for the music and dancing. And didn’t play cards or roulette either, didn’t have the money for that !

Viv.

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
With regards to the food, not sure I am right about this but I believe it was because one of the regulations for obtaining a late licence was that the club provided meals?

I seem to remember that Barbarellas advertised a small restaurant too but I never saw anyone eating at either of the clubs!
 
There was a club on the Hagley road which did this. You paid your entrance fee and it entitled you to a sandwich. People flocked there after the pubs closed
 
Back when I worked in the NHS at Selly Oak Hospital, a friend of mine helped treat Albert's mother and as a result Albert gave him a membership card, gold I think. So after a late shift or on call we used to be able to turn up and walk in without queuing. Sometimes Albert would invite us into his little bar at the back which I vaguely remember was adorned with photos of Albert with various well known celebrities of the time. Had many a good night there.
 
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